Stabilizing retarder for bombs



Jan. 30, 1945.. G, MANSON E AL 2,368,258

STABILIZING RETARDER FOR BOMBS Filed Feb. 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FE. i

Jan. 30, 1945. F G ANs N ET AL 2,368,258

STABILIZING RETARDER FOR BOMBS Filed Feb. 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irv/5 7- 0,95

Fay/w? 6'. Mam/so Patented Jan. 30, 1945 STABILIZING RETARDER FOR BOMBS Frank G. Manson and James J. Maskey, Dayton, Ohio Application February 4, 1942, Serial No. 429,518

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to bombs, and particularly to means to facilitate the proper launching of bombs by aircraft.

An object of the invention is to provide means which will not only retard the descent of a bomb through the air, but will stabilize its movement.

Another object is to provide means which will greatly retard the descent of a bomb after it strikes a body of water, whereby it sinks below the surface at a much slower rate of speed and may therefore be timed more accurately for detonation at a selected depth.

Another object is to provide floatation means which will not only retard the speed and depth of penetration of the bomb in the water, but will quickly returnthe bomb to a position near the surface where it may act as a mine when that is desirable.

Another object is to provide a simple means for inflating the floatation means which becomes operative by the inertia effect of the bombs striking the water.

More specifically, the device, in its simplest form, comprises a cone or a frustum of a cone for retarding and stabilizing the descent of a load which is attached thereto, the attaching means being in such form as will draw the device afte the load small end first.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the invention is further described with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axial section through a device having a plurality of interconnected stabilizing and retarding means attached to a bomb.

Fig. 2 shows the device Fig. 1 in descent.

Fig. 3 is an axial section through a device wherein a part of the stabilizing and retarding means is made to act also as a floatation means.

Fig. 4 shows the device Fig. 3 in descent.

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section, of a simple form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in section, of another simple form of the invention.

Fig. 8 shows the apparatus of Fig. 7 as it appears in descent.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a bomb l0 comprises a case l2 and a cap l4 enclosed by a drum 16 which is held in place by a nut N3, the

end of .the cap being closed by a center plug 2|]. A frusto-conical shell 22 is fastened, preferably by welding, to the drum I6 at 23. The usual stabilizing fins 24 are fastened in a similar manner in circumferentially spaced relation to the case l2, drum l6, and shell 22.

Nested in the frusto-conical metal shell 22 are a series of molded shells 26, the sides 2'! of which may be relatively stiff and the bottoms 29 more flexible, the material preferably being natural or synthetic rubber or an equivalent. The molded shells 26 are nested one in the other, but, in order that they may not stick together too firmly, small button-like spacers 28 are interposed therebetween. The parts 26 are, properly speakin of frusto-conical form, but for convenience and brevity may be referred to as shells or as truncated cones.

Centrally disposed in the bottom of each molded shell 25 is a pin 30 which has an eye 32 at each end. The pins 30 are preferably molded in place in the bottoms and reinforced by washers 34. An additional pin 33 is supported in the plu 20 for attachment of one end of a cable. Additional lengths 36 of cable, secured in the eyes 32, hold the shells 26 in the spaced relation shown in Fig. 2 during descent.

Before the bomb is released, the shells are nested as in Fig. l but are drawn out aerodynamically as the bomb drops, acting to some extent as retarders and, along with the fins 24, acting also as stabilizers. When the bomb strikes the water, retardation is much more pronounced, penetration of the water being, on the average, at not more than one-fourth the speed of common practice. It follows, of course, that where a time device is employed to detonate at a selected shallow depth, the depth at which detonation takes place may be controlled much more accurately when the bomb is moving slowly than when it is moving fast.

In'Fig'. 3 the invention is shown further developed to adapt it for use as a floating mine. This further development consists in substituting, for one of the shells, a floatation means 38 conical receptacle 46 which is fastened at itssmaller end to the inside of the closure 44, the

stabilizers at this time.

,sealed therein, an eye 32 being formed on the outer end of the pin for holding one end of a cable 36.

Before the bomb is released, the shells are nested as in Fig. 3, but are drawn out aerodynamically as the bomb drops. The shells retard descent through the air to some extent, but, together with the fins 24, are of greater value as When the bomb strikes the water, the shells are more effective in assisting retardation, and the speed and depth of penetration are both materially lessened.

During aerial descent, the closure 44, although of flexible rubber, may preferably, although not necessarily, be stiif enough to retain the diaphragm-like shape in which it appears in Fig. 3, even after the shells 26 and 38 are aerodynamically drawn apart and held spaced by a cable 36, so that when the closure 44 strikes the surface of the water the upward impact in the pocket 54 and the inertia of the cartridge 48 will cause the piercing pin 52 to pierce the disk 50, and the CO2 will be released to inflate the shell 38 whereby the end 42 will be forced outwardly to a convex surface and the closure 44 will also bulge outwardly (see Fig. 4).

Where the device is to be used as a mine, the charge of CO2 in the cartridge 48 had preferably be so governed that the floatation shell 38 will be at least slightly submerged, the desirable depth being in a measure determined by the detonation means on the bomb.

The modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is used in conjunction with the same bomb I0, having the same shell 22 within which the cone is confined before launching. The cone 56 in this case is made of a flexible fabric 58, with a base member 68 of the same or similar material.

A conical coil spring 62 within the fabric cone is provided for extending the cone to its full length. Small check valves 64 admit air into the cone as it is being extended. A short cable 66 may be placed within the cone and fastened to the ends to limit axial extension, so as to limit the strain on the fabric. The small end of the cone is held to the bomb by a short cable 68.

To hold the come within the confines of the shell 22 an elastic strap 16 is fastened at one end '12 to a ring 14 on thebomb, the free end being provided with an eyelet which is placed over acone 76 which is welded or similarly secured to the bomb. A pull pin 18 extends through a hole in the cone to hold the strap in place, the pin being attached to the end of a short cable 80 which extends through a ring 82 and thence to a fastening means on the fuselage of the craft.

,Obviously when the bomb is launched, the

flattened enough more than the amount shown to allow several cones to be held in their compressed state, one upon the other, under the strap 16. An eye 84 is centrally disposed on the base member 66 for attaching the cable 68 of the next succeeding cone.

The modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 also is used in conjunction with a bomb in having the shell 22 for confining the cone prior to launching. The cone 86 has sides 88 and base 90 of flexible material, the base being held in the shape shown in Fig. 8 by a spring wire ring 92. At opposite points on the ring the wire may be given one or more turns to form hinge coils 94 such as are found at the closed end of a safety pin, the coils being normally constrained to bring the ring to the form shown in Fig. 8, but being yieldable to allow the ring to be folded one half upon the other as shown in Fig. 7. The ring 92 may preferably be stitched to the base 90. One or more valves 64 maybe placed in the base 90 for admitting air into the cone. A short cable 68 connects the small end of the cone to the bomb. The parts .16, 12, 14, 16, 78, 86, and 82 are the same in construction and in operation as like parts in Figs. 5 and 6.

One cone only is shown held in collapsed condition in Fig. '7, but obviously several cones could be joined in tandem and heldin their collapsed condition, one upon the other, under the strap 76. Eyes 84 are provided for joining several cones in tandem relation.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. The combination of a bomb, adapted to be launched from an aircraft, and a retarding and stabilizing means comprising a hollow shell in the form of a truncated cone having both ends closed and the small end attached by a flexible linkage to the bomb, the shell being of flexible material and collapsible, a housing carried by the bomb to hold the collapsed shell prior to launching, means to release the collapsed shell made operative by relative movement between said aircraft and said shell upon launching, means to extend the collapsed shell upon release, and a valve to admit air into the shell when it is being extended.

2. The combination, in a device of the character described, of a bomb, a series of frusto-conical shells each having side walls and an end-enclosing wall in the small end, relatively short lengths of cable connecting the center of the tail end of the bomb to the center of one of said end-enclosing walls, and connecting the centers of said endenclosing walls one to the other, whereby said cones may be nested one in the next, and buttonlike spacers carried on the side walls of the shells to prevent too close nesting, said side walls being of relatively rigid material and said end-enclosing walls of more flexible material.

3. The combination, in a device of the character described, of a bomb, at least one frustoconical retarding shell having an end-closing wall in the small end, and at least one frusto-conical flotation shell having an end-closing wall in each end, the smaller ends of the shells being the leading ends, a relatively short length of cable connecting the center of the tail end of the bomb to the center of the end-closing wall of the retarding shell, and another relatively short length of cable connecting interfacing end-closing walls of adjacent shells together, a gas cartridge withinthe flotation shell, and impact means to puncture said cartridge, said shells being made 10f molded material with side walls which are less flexible than the end walls.

FRANK G. MANSON.

JAMES J. MASKEY.- 6 

